Author
Topic: My New Plan (Read 12373 times)

Yeah, I'm not gonna go crazy on the engine at all. Sticking with standard Indian-available stuff; engine-wise just gonna upgrade carb and exhaust, really. (Also not good to overstress something made to local tolerances!)

Aesthetically I'm going to do a lot of stripping-down, and I know that's not going to be to everyone's taste, especially on such a piece of history as this...but it's my bike, heh! And I will keep everything totally reversible. Only have one little tab/bar to weld on in order to get the new seat to fit, which will be easily removed should it be necessary (and I think the stock seat will fit on even after I've done this.) Will use a removable bolt-on seat support, similar to what you can see in the Badger's build diary.

Once I get it back to the USA, though, it's Fireball time! Whether I exchange the 350 engine for a 500 in a trade ,or try to replace the necessary parts on this one, time will tell.

Lesson one: learn to fix the bike myself before trying to make it any significant amount faster, and if I'm going to mod it, focusing on reliability first before half-baked performance mods would be a good idea.

Still think I want the 5spd gearbox, though. Crisper shifting is a nice thing at any point, and it'll serve the bike well as it grows to the Fireball it's destined to be. A lot cheaper to get it over here than in the States, I'm sure.

At the mechanic's; turned over all the parts today to begin a rebuild.

When I showed him pics of the cafe racer seat I was using and a stolen photo of a bolt-on mount someone else rigged up for this bike, he said, "Oh yeah, used to do that job a bunch a long time ago." So score one for me and the mechanic; one less thing that's going to be a hassle. Fabrication is super-cheap here.

(edited) Parts shop here didn't have the Thunderbird yokes to fit my fork but am ordering them from another domestic parts supplier.

Opted to use local parts for spark plug, ignition coil, and some other bits I was planning to use high-zoot stuff from the US for. Just wanted to get work started/ done and these are easily replaced later.

Some better pics of the bike:

Jalani the mechanic and I:

Buying parts; cost around $275 total for everything. Still gotta get new shocks. Looking around for a used 5-speed transmission because no one seems to know how to get a new one. Will check with a dealer.

Pretty much all that stuff is engine internals...guess you can see a decomp lever there but I have to replace the broken stuff. Header has to be replaced, too, but I'm going to cover the shineyness with pipe wrap. Don't feel like trying to find hi-temp paint to put over chrome. Ugh.

While there will be some new parts on this thing (both by necessity and desire to change the design), overall it's still gonna look its age. That's a priority of mine.

And I highly doubt ANYONE's going to have anything looking like this one when I'm through with it...

By the way, I found out I've gotta get rid of the tank's command insignia. I sort of understand--as a former Marine infantryman I understand why some military things are sacred, although I'm long past caring myself what someone wears short of impersonation--but in this case I sort of feel the bike is the veteran and has earned its stripes.

So I'm thinking of just painting it over with a black disc (maybe with an olive drab number on it?), inventing some imaginary emblem to paint over top, or covering it with part of a Flying Tigers-style shark mouth.

Not that it applies to me, but even diplomats can be pulled over and cited for vehicle violations. There's no mechanism to enforce payment or punishment afterward, but still--pain in the ass and if an embassy starts getting nastygrams about a scofflaw (for you Seinfeld fans) staff member they might come down on him internally for starting trouble. Plus, there are varying levels of immunity.

Anyhow, I'll post more as the bike takes shape. Hope too many people don't freak out that it's not going to look exactly like a traditional Bullet in some ways...